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VI.
The Sure Word of
Prophecy
»
Chapter 55
:
The Judgment
1. WHAT assurance have we
that there will be a judgment?
"God. . . hath appointed a day, in
the which He will judge the world." Acts
17:30,31.
2. Was the judgment still future in Paul's
day?
"As he reasoned of righteousness, temperance,
and judgment to come, Felix trembled."
Acts 24:25.
3. How many must meet the test of the
judgment?
"I said in mine heart, God shall judge the
righteous and the wicked." Eccl. 3:17.
"For we must all
appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or
bad." 2 Cor. 5:10.
4.
What reason did Solomon give for urging all to fear God
and keep His commandments?
"For God shall bring every work into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether
it be evil." Eccl. 12:14.
5. What view of the judgment scene
was given Daniel?
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down [placed, R.V.],
and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white
as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool:
His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as
burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from
before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the
judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan.
7:9,10.
6.
Out of what will all be judged?
"And the books were opened: and another book was
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works." Rev. 20:12.
7. For whom has a book of
remembrance been written?
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to
another: and the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a book
of remembrance was written before Him for them that
feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name."
Mal. 3:16. See Rev. 20:12.
8.
Who opens the judgment and presides over it?
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down [placed], and
the Ancient of days did sit." Dan. 7:9.
9. Who minister to God, and assist
in the judgment?
"Thousand thousands [of angels] ministered unto Him, and
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him." Verse
10. See Rev. 5:11.
10. Who is brought before the
Father at this time?
"I saw in the night-visions, and, behold,
one like the Son of man came with the clouds of
heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they
brought Him near before Him." Dan. 7:13.
11. What does Christ as the advocate of His people
confess before the Father and His angels?
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the
book of life, but I will confess his name before My
Father, and before His angels." Rev. 3:5. See Matt.
10:32,33; Mark 8:38.
NOTE.-During this judgment scene, both the righteous
and the wicked dead are still in their graves. The
record of each one's life, however, is in the books
of heaven, and by that record their characters and
deeds are well known. Christ is there to appear in
behalf of those who have chosen Him as their
advocate. 1 John 2:1. He presents His blood, as He
appeals for their sins to be blotted from the books
of record. As the place of judgment is in heaven,
where God's throne is, and as Christ is present in
person, it follows that the work of judgment is also
in heaven. All are judged by the record of their
lives, and thus answer for the deeds done in the
body. This work will not only decide forever the
cases of the dead, but will also close the probation
of all who are living, after which Christ will come
to take to Himself those who have been found loyal
to Him.
12. After the subjects of the kingdom have been
determined by the investigative judgment, what is given
to Christ?
"And there was given Him dominion, and glory,
and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve Him." Dan. 7:14.
13. When He comes the second time,
what title will He bear?
"And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name
written, King of kings, and Lord of lords."
Rev. 19:16.
14. What will He then do for each one?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His
Father with His angels; and then He shall reward
every man according to his works." Matt. 16:27. See
also Rev. 22:12.
15. Where will Christ then take
His people?
"In My Father's house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John
14:2,3.
16. How many of the dead will be
raised?
"For the hour is coming, in the which all
that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and
shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto
the resurrection of damnation." John 5:28,29. See also
Acts 24:15.
17. What time intervenes
between the two resurrections?
"And I saw the souls of them that were
beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of
God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his
image, neither had received his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the
dead lived not again until the thousand years were
finished." Rev. 20:4,5.
18. What work did Daniel see
finally assigned to the saints?
"I beheld, and the same horn made war with
the saints, and prevailed against them; until the
Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the
saints of the Most High; and the time came that the
saints possessed the kingdom." Dan. 7:21,22.
19. How long will the saints
engage in this work of judgment?
"I And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them,
and judgment
was given unto them:
. . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years."
Rev. 20:4.
20. Who will thus be judged by the
saints?
"Do ye not know that the saints shall
judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by
you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know
ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more
things that pertain to this life?" 1 Cor. 6:2,3.
21. How will the decisions of the
judgment be executed?
"And out of His [Christ's] mouth goeth a sharp sword,
that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall
rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the
wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
Rev. 19:15.
22. Why is the execution of
the judgment given to Christ?
"For as the Father hath life in Himself; so
hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and
hath given Him authority to execute judgment also,
because He is the Son of man." John 5:26,27.
23. How was the opening of the
judgment to be made known to the world?
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto
them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud
voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour
of His judgment is come." Rev. 14:6,7.
NOTE.-There are three phases of the judgment
mentioned in the Scriptures,-the investigative
judgment, preceding the second advent; the judgment
of the lost world and wicked angels by Christ and
the saints during the one thousand years following
the second advent; and the executive judgment, or
punishment of the wicked at the close of this
period. The investigative judgment takes place in
heaven before Christ comes, in order to ascertain
who are worthy to be raised in the first
resurrection, at His coming, and who among the
living are to be changed in the twinkling of an eye,
at the sound of the last trump. It is necessary for
this to take place before the second advent, as
there will be no time for such a work between the
coming of Christ and the raising of the righteous
dead. The executive Judgment on the wicked occurs
after their cases have been examined by the saints
during the thousand years. Rev. 20:4,5; 1 Cor.
6:1-3. The investigative judgment is that which is
announced to the world by the angel's message of
Rev. 14:6,7.
Thou Judge of quick and dead,
Before whose bar severe,
With holy joy or guilty dread,
We all shall soon appear,-
Our cautioned souls prepare
For that tremendous day,
And fill us now with watchful care,
And stir us up to pray.
CHARLES WESLEY. |
